When creating a website, adding new pages, or redesigning a current site, LotusJump recommends the following on-page optimization practices.

Step 1: Choosing targeted keywords

Picking the right set of keywords helps create a solid foundation for your SEO efforts. You should consider building pages around related groups of keyword phrases (i.e. a page for product terms, another for benefits-related terms, etc.)

Step 2: Optimizing the URL structure

As new pages are created, important keywords should be used within the URL structure. The closer the keywords are to the “.com/” the better. Since Google reads URL’s from left to right it places the highest value on words that appear closest to the beginning of the URL string.

Step 3: Optimizing title tags

Creating unique, optimized title tags is essential, as search engines weigh them heavily. The keywords in your title tags should reflect the content of the page. If it’s a page about discount laptops, make sure that discount laptop keywords come first. We recommend keeping the title tag between 6-12 words.

Step 4: Optimizing meta descriptions

Create unique meta descriptions that feature keywords found within the title tag and copy on the page. Meta descriptions should read comfortably, and not be a keyword list. Keep meta descriptions between 12-20 words.

Step 5: Optimizing meta keywords

Meta keywords are weighed less heavily by the search engines these days, but probably still worthwhile to include. Instead of adding every single keyword you can think of, add keywords that are relevant to the theme and copy of the specific page you’re addressing. Include anywhere between 1-10 keywords.

Step 6: Optimizing header tags

Header tags are used in HTML code to define paragraph headers. Search engines weigh the words found in headers more heavily than average copy, so it’s valuable (where possible) to include targeted keywords in the <h1> and <h2>, etc. tags.

Step 7: Optimizing website copy

If you want your website to rank well on certain keywords, they need to be found within the copy of your site. Instead of trying to get one page to rank on multiple keywords, try creating an optimized page for each major keyword or group of related keywords.

Step 8: Optimizing alt tags

An alt tag is used to describe an image should it ever become “broken” to a website viewer for any reason. You can utilize the alt tag for SEO purposes by including your keywords within the tag. For example, if the picture is of a dell laptop on your discount laptop website, you could give the image the following alt tag: “discount Dell XPS 1530 laptop” It’s both descriptive and keyword rich.

Step 9: Optimizing with emphasis tags

In some instances it might be appropriate to bold and italicize within the copy of your website. Search engines place more weight on words that are given emphasis with the HTML <b> and <i> tags. Use this tactic judiciously however; too much use of emphasis makes for an unpleasant user experience.

Step 10: Optimizing a site with a blog

Adding a blog to a site is a convenient way to add new, keyword rich content to the domain on a regular basis (which search engines value). Blogs allow you to reach out to your consumers and build brand recognition and trust. Blog posts can also be easily disseminated to various social media outlets to reach a broader audience and solicit more traffic.<-->